Ecuador: Start of Kent mango export season to Europe

The campaign started in September, but it is only now that significant volumes begin to appear in the European markets. The most important destinations in Europe are Spain, France, the United Kingdom, Germany, and the Netherlands. However, they are not the only places that demand Ecuadorian Kent mango, as the country also has demands from Middle Eastern countries, Japan, South Korea, and Australia. "We have different transport possibilities depending on the destination, obviously. Right now, the FOB price is 9.50 euro per box - 6 kilos each - and it increases depending on whether it is shipped by sea or by air," stated Jose Luis Esteban, of Global Fruits and Flowers.

"Peru could be considered our biggest competitor, since they have been growing this variety longer than Ecuador and have an infinitely larger production. They are more specialized, not only in the US market, as they have been marketing it for 20 years longer than Ecuador."

The province of Guayas, in Ecuador, is the largest producer of Kent mango in the country. The largest producers of this fruit are in this province and producers can have up to 200 hectares devoted to the product.